Winter Solstice White Ribbon New Zealand Art Auction: Ocean Fairytale

Why do I want to end violence towards women?

I believe that it can be very easy to live and act from fear and anger. I also believe that each and every person is worthy of being treated with love and respect.

I want to share that there is another way, a way that may feel strange, difficult and unfamiliar to many of us but will lead to feeling freedom, love, joy and peace.

I want to support all the brave men who have the courage to step up and take responsibility for their own emotions and actions, respect themselves and in turn honour the women around them.

I want to encourage and remind women that all the love, beauty and strength they seek is already inside them. When you learn to love and honour yourself, you will inspire people around you to treat you well too.

We treat people the way we treat ourselves. When there is only fear, anger and frustration in us, we hurt the ones we love and we hurt ourselves.

When we do not know how to love, forgive and encourage ourselves, people around us will not know how to respect us.

Love is in all of us. No matter what we have done, each breath is a new one. Every second is a fresh chance: full of the choice we can make to stop, breathe, think, understand, be kind to ourselves, be grateful for our loved ones (even if they are sometimes hard to love), and the beauty that is around us. Feel love and feel loved and let it come from inside us and let it overflow onto the people around us.

“Even the darkest night will end and the sun will rise.” – Victor Hugo (Les Misérables)

Winter Solstice White Ribbon New Zealand Art Auction: Ocean Fairytale

by Dila Tawn Pretty Fish

Ocean Fairytale

I am so proud to call New Zealand my new home. I have moved countries in search of the ocean. Finding surfing has helped me find art again. It inspired me to make surfboards beautiful, join a 100-days project (http://100daysproject.co.nz/project/2013/390) to improve my painting, and use my work to contribute to causes I believe in. (I could try to sing and get you to pay me to stop)

I believe in White Ribbon because I believe that violence and making someone your victim comes from fear, and there is a better way.

Let us show our support for the men who are so brave and courageous to show up and be responsible for their actions and are man enough to treat women and girls with respect.

Let us show our support for women and girls everywhere, and encourage them to embrace their inner mermaid: the part in each of us that has always been smart, strong, brave, confident, beautiful, free, loved and joyful. Feeling brave to feel connected to nature and one another, and follow our hearts, dream our dreams, and make them come true.

To show your support, bid on the original painting, or buy a print, or download a free copy.

Invite your friends and family to this event to celebrate brave men and women, our beautiful ocean, and help end violence towards women.